BiBo Budapest

At the end of 2024, Andalusian superstar chef Dani García brought his celebrated Bibo brand to Budapest. Set atop an elegant listed building in the city centre, the restaurant offers breathtaking views of Buda through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. Bibo in Budapest is no less theatrical than its Spanish siblings: flamboyant by design, exuberant in spirit, and yet immaculately poised. The closely placed tables evoke a lively, club-like atmosphere rather than hushed intimacy – especially once the DJ arrives. The youthful front-of-house team may lack experience, but they more than make up for it with warmth, charm and enthusiasm. The compact menu includes several of García’s hallmark creations, executed with precision by a kitchen clearly fluent in the language of the brand. The signature oxtail brioche is nothing short of revelatory – its unctuous texture captures the essence of slow-cooked oxtail, enriched by García’s original bull sauce and enveloped in feather-light brioche. In terms of visual artistry, however, the appetiser of duck liver, sour cherry, parmesan and brioche – styled like a dessert – steals the show. A canny choice is the ‘Bibo hat-trick’: order one main course to be treated to three premium ingredient small plates – past examples include mangalitsa pork, veal, venison tenderloin with foie gras. The drinks list is extraordinary, particularly the wine selection, which ranges from affordable by-the-glass options to bottles priced in the millions. Despite the sheen of a global brand, prices are fair. Bibo is a multisensory feast you have to experience – heady, stylish, yet surprisingly playful.